Chequers deal is crucial for green future, Michael Gove told

Michael Gove has been warned that a Canada-style deal advocates lower standards of food safety and animal welfareDINENDRA HARIA/ALAMY

Michael Gove is warned today that forcing Theresa May to abandon her Chequers plan and back a Canada-style trade deal would be a “disaster” for the countryside and wider environment, putting his green credentials at risk.

A coalition of 13 environmental organisations working on Brexit, including the RSPB, Friends of the Earth and the WWF, has called on Mr Gove and Mrs May to continue to co-operate with the EU on environmental matters and to abide by commitments not to water down standards.

A letter in today’s Times from Shaun Spiers, chairman of the Greener UK coalition, which also includes the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, says: “There is now a real danger that the UK will leave the EU without…

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